Cigarette container and belt



y 1941- L. TAPIE CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND BELT Filed April 8, 1939 INVENTOR J Zou/se L. 7',0/'e v ATTORNEYS Patented July 29, 1941 UNlTED STATES PATENT OF FIICE I CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND BELT Louise L. Tapie, San Francisco, Calif.

Application April 8, 1939, Serial No. 266,719 3 Claims. (01. 2224-26) This invention relates to cigarette containers and one of the general objects of the invention is to provide a cigarette container of simple, durable construction, provided with means for supporting the same on the body of a person in a position for giving ready access to the cigarettes held within the container without interfering with the movements of the person.

Some of the more specific objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide a cigarette container adapted to hold packaged cigarettes and to protect the cigarettes and package.

To provide improved means in a'cigarette container for readily and easily gaining access to cigarettes contained therein without mutilation of the cigarettes.

To provide improved means in a flexible walled cigarette container for enclosing the cigarettes, after withdrawal of a cigarette from the container, without injury to said cigarettes.

To provide improved means in combination with a cigarette container adjustable to the body of a person for supporting the container in a predetermined position on the person without inconvenience to the person and without causing objectionable chafing of clothing.

To provide improved construction in a combination cigarette container and belt for forming the belt and container substantially at the same time from separate pre-formed elements.

To provide a container for packaged cigarettes adapted to enclose a package of cigarettes and to protect the same, while permitting visibility of a portion of the package and which container is provided with means for easily gaining access to the cigarettes in said package.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and in the drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective view of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the cigarette container, with a portion of the belt.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the invention as seen along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the invention as seen along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Of the cigarettes sold at the present time, almost all are enclosed in oblong paper packages, and the users of the cigarettes ordinarily remove part or all of the paper at one end of a package, thus exposing one end of the cigarettes for gaining access to the same. The package, with the end, or a portion thereof, removed, and with the cigarettes therein, is then carried in a pocket of the wearers garments, or in a purse, with the result that the cigarettes are exposed at one end to injury or to loss of tobacco therefrom- Containers and devices have been devised to' holder to stiifen the packages, and to prevent the above injury or loss of tobacco, but where these are of metal, they cause objectionable wear on the pockets, and where the containers are offiex ible material, access to-the cigarettes therein is difficult and the closure means on such containers are difficult to manipulate without causing injury to the cigarettes, and at best, where such containers are carried in a pocket or purse, they are bulky.

My invention provides simple means forproviding ready access to the cigarettes atall times while adequately protecting the cigarettes and. package containing the same by a container that is readily manipulated without injury to the cigarettes, for exposing and enclosing the cigarettes, as desired.

In detail, I provide a belt I adapted to encircle the body of a person, one end of which belt is doubled on itself, forming 'aloop 2, (Fig.1 4) within which loop is-one longitudinal side vofan elongated, centrally open; metal link 3. The opposite end 4 of the belt is adapted to extend through the central opening of link 3, which end is doubled back to lie against the inner side of the belt,'thus providing a loop at the bend that encloses the other'side of said link. End 4 carries a conventional, spring-sided socket memher 5, the socket of which is adapted to receive any one of a row of several conventional male elements 6 that are secured to the belt on that portion covered by the end 4 when the end 4 is in the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. This position is the normal one when the belt is on the wearer, thus all of the inwardly projecting male elements 6 are concealed and the garments are protected against chafing, but should the wearer desire to fasten the belt about an'outer coat or jacket, or-other additional garment, the female'socket member '5 may be adjusted to en gage one of the elements 6 that is positioned closer to link 3, thus extending the circumference of the belt to accommodate the additional girth caused by the added clothing.

"Ihe container-for the cigarettes comprises a blank of leather,fabric, or other relatively flexible material, which blank is formed with-a cen-v tral, vertically elongated, rectangular portion 1, opposite side portions 8 projecting laterally in lateral extension thereof, an upper portion 9 projecting from the upper edge' of portion! and a lower portion I8 projecting downwardly from the lower edge of portion I.

From the blank, as described above, the portions 8, 9, I are twined, or bent, along the junctures of the said portions with central portion I for positioning to one side of said central portion, and in planes perpendicular thereto, thus forming the opposite sides and the top and bottom of the container, with the central portion I forming the front side thereof. The dimensions of the central portion I substantially correspond to the dimensions of the flat side of a conventional cigarette package.

The portions 8, 9, ID are each longer in direction outwardly of central portion I than the thickness of the conventional cigarette package, and the excess of such lengths, beyond that of said thickness, in each of the portions 8, II], is turned inwardly and over the rear side of the front I, thus forming outer margins 8" on the side portions 8 and an extension III of the bottom portion II), that are parallel with the plane of front I.

The excess length of the top 9, instead of being turned inwardly toward portion I0, is turned upwardly, as at 9', but in substantially the same plane as that in which the margin 8' and portion I0 are disposed.

one side of link 3 from actually engaging in the bend of the loop, but instead, said side of the Extending vertically across the rear side of Q the container and parallel to front side I, is a vertically elongated strip II, which strip terminates at its upper and lower ends, respectively, at points spaced slightly above the upper edge of portion 9', and spaced an appreciable distance below the bottom portion I0. This strip II is the width of front side I, of the container, and its lateral margins extend over the sides of margins 8' that face toward the front side I, and the portion II! is disposed against the side of strip II that faces the front side I. This strip I I and portion III, form the rear side of the container.

The container, as described above, is positioned against belt I in a position with margins 8' against the outer side of the belt and transversely over that portion of the latter that is doubled to form loop 2, and in this position the container is secured to the belt by a pair of staples I3 or by rivets or stitching, the staples I3 extending through margins 8, strip II, and through belt I and the end I2 of said belt that is doubled over to form the loop 2. The staples I3 are disposed adjacent the upper edge of the belt and adjacent the upper ends of margins 8 and top portion 9, while a pair of staples I3, each of which is disposed below each of the upper pair, extend through margins 8', strip II, belt I and end I2 of the latter, and through the upper margin of the portion III, thereby securing portion III in position supporting the bottom II! from the belt.

It is pertinent to note that stitching may be used in place of the stitches, but in any event, whether staples, stitching, or any other suitable means is employed, the elements of the container are secured together, in this particular form of the invention, by the same means that secures end I2 of the belt in position to form the loop 2.

The container, as best disclosed in Fig. 2, is positioned for stapling so that one side 8 of the container is substantially flush with the bend of belt I that forms loop 2, and thus the staples nearest said side 8 and which pass through the margins 8' of saidside, in extending through the belt and end I2 thereof at the bend, prevent the link is disposed between the staples I3, I3 at said bend and staples I3, I3 that are adjacent the opposite side portion 8 of the container. Hence the link is supported behind the container and concealed from view and the point where the opposite end of the belt passes through the link is also concealed from view. In view of this position of link 3, when the belt is on a person and is viewed from the front, there is no visible break in the belt, as by a buckle or the like, the container itself forming the only obstruction to the apparent continuity of the belt as being a single, annular strap.

The belt I may or may not be the same width as the vertical height of the container between upper and lower ends 9, I0 thereof, but, preferably, the belt is narrower, since the width in many instances would otherwise be excessive. The upper edge of the belt is preferably at substantially the level of the upper end 9 of the container, and thus, the upper and lower ends of the strip II project above and below the container and belt, and is adapted to lie against the clothing of the wearer when the belt is on a person. The strip I I thus provides a sort of pad that prevents any inconvenience to the wearer from the relatively sharp lower rear edge and corners of the container, and the strip also prevents undue and objectionable chafing of the clothing by such corners and edge.

The portion 9 of the portion 9 is adapted to lie against the forwardly facing side of the portion of strip I I that projects above the container. This portion 9' carries a conventional springsided socket member I4 while the upper end of strip II carries the male element I5 adapted to be received in said socket, the two forming the usual snap fastener. Since the upper edge of portion 9' terminates below the upper edge of strip II, the portion 9' that projects slightly above member I4 is readily and easily gripped by the thumb and forefinger of one hand for unsnapping the fastener, after which the top 9 and portion 9 move outwardly from the belt and from over the cigarettes, exposing the upper ends of the latter.

While the cigarettes are accessible after the upper ends are exposed by opening the top, by merely pressing upwardly on the bottom I0, the entire package I6 of cigarettes, or any and all cigarettes supported on the bottom, are moved upwardly until the upper ends are disposed above the upper open end of the container, as indicated in dotted line at IS in Fig. 3. The bottom II! of the container will move over to lie flat against the rear side of the lower margin of front side In as indicated at III" in Fig. 3, and the portion III of the container that is disposed between the bottom I8 and the lower pair of staples I3, I3 will move horizontally across the container to the position I3, thus supporting the package I6 elevated until a slight downward pressure on the upper ends of the cigarettes forces the package back into the container.

The operation permitting elevation of the package I5 by pressure on bottom I0 obviously requires that the length of portion I0 extending between bottom ID and the lower staples I3, I3 should at least equal the width of bottom I9, and the bottom I0 and portion I8 must be free to move upwardly into the container to a position between sides 8.

When the package I6 or the cigarettes within the container are elevated to the position shown in Fig. 3 in dotted line, it is seen that anyone of the cigarettes having its upper end expose-d may easily be withdrawn from the package.

The particular positioning of the snap elements l4, l5 that secure the portion 9 to strip II is important in that the snap elements may be connected without pressing against the front 1 of the container, which pressure would result in injury to the cigarettes, and also when the top is opened, the package may be slipped upwardly without interference from the top, as would be the case were the top to open from the front rearwardly, in the usual manner. Also if the top opened from the front rearwardly, instead of forwardly, the top would not automatically stay opened in the position indicated in dotted line at 9", but would tend to move to closed position due to the fact that the body of the wearer and strip I i would interfere with it staying open.

I also preferably provide an opening H in the front side 1 of the container through which the brand name [8 appearing on the package of cigarettes can be observed, and which opening may be covered with a transparent sheet of material or left open, as desired.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A container for an oblong package of cigarettes that includes four vertical, rectangular lateral side walls of flexible material and a bottom wall; a substantially flat, horizontally disposed rectangular cover opposite said bottom wall hingedly connected at one of its edges to the upper edge of one of said side walls and substantially in engagement with the upper edges of the remaining three side walls, but free of securement thereto to permit swinging said cover to vertical position for uncovering cigarettes to be supported by said side walls and bottom wall, an extension integral with said cover extending upwardly and at right angles thereto along the edge opposite said one of its edges when said cover is horizontal in closed position; the lateral side wall opposite the one to which said cover is hingedly connected being formed with a vertical extension positioned to engage said extension when said cover is in closed position, a pair of manually actuatable cooperating elements respectively carried by said extensions releasably securing said extensions together and releasably securing said cover horizontal in closed position, whereby said cover may be secured closed free from distortion of said flexible side walls and consequent injury to cigarettes enclosed thereby that would result from such distortion, means connected with the lateral side wall carrying said vertical extension for supporting said container on the body of a person with said last mentioned side wall and the extension carried thereby adjacent said body.

2. In combination with an oblong package of cigarettes an oblong, vertically disposed con tainer having four lateral side walls adapted to relatively closely enclose said package vertical therein, means manually actuatable for sliding said package upwardly in said container to elevated position for access to the cigarettes in said package from the upper end of said container and for supporting said package in said elevated position and in lowered position enclosed within the confines of said container, said means comprising a horizontal, substantially flat bottom wall of flexible material closing the lower end of said container and supporting said package thereon, said bottom wall being hingedly connected along one edge thereof to the lower edge of one of said lateral side walls, and being free 7 from securement to the two lateral side walls adjacent said one lateral side wall, a vertical, flexible extension integral with said bottom wall along the edge thereof opposite its said one edge extending closely along one side of said package, said extension being free from securement to said two lateral side walls whereby upon upward pressure of the fingers against said bottom wall the latter will swing upwardly to against the lateral wall to which it is hingedly connected thereby sliding said package to said elevated position and said extension will be moved to horizontal position below said package supporting the latter in said elevated position.

3. In combination with a fiat belt adapted to encircle the waist of a person; a flexible walled container for cigarettes having four lateral side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall; one of said lateral side walls comprising a flat strip secured flat against the outer side of said belt and extending at its upper end above said belt and above said top wall and the three remaining lateral side walls of the container when said belt is horizontal in waist encircling position; said top wall being hingedly connected at one of its edges with the upper edge of the lateral side Wall opposite said strip and being free from securement to the two lateral side walls adjacent said strip for swinging vertically from horizontal container closing position in direction away from said belt and said strip to open position; said top wall being provided with an extension along its edge opposite the aforesaid one edge thereof which extension projects at right angles to said top wall and against the said upward extension of said strip when the cover is in container closing position and manually actuatable cooperating elements respectively carried by said extension on said top wall and said upward extension of said strip releasably securing said extensions together and securing said top wall in container closing position thereby permitting securement of said top wall in closed position without causing distortion of the portions of the lateral side walls that extend between said topwall and said bottom wall said bottom wall being horizontally secured at one of its edges to the lower edge of the side wall opposite said strip and an extension at the opposite edge of said bottom wall integral with the latter extending alongside said strip toward said top wall and secured to said strip at a point spaced a substantial distance above said bottom wall and between said top wall and said bottom wall, said bottom wall and the said extension being free from securement to the said two lateral side walls adjacent said strip and said extension being free from securement to said strip between said point and said bottom, whereby upon upward pressure on said bottom wall toward said top Wall, when said top wall is in open position and when a package of cigarettes is in said container, said bottom wall will swing inwardly to between said lateral side walls and against the side to which it is hingedly connected thereby moving such package to elevated position in said container and said extension on said bottom wall will simultaneously move to horizontal position between said lateral side walls supporting such package in such elevated position.

LOUISE L. TAPIE. 

